“DearestMissChristina，——IdonotknowwhetheryouhaveguessedthefeelingsthatIhavelongentertainedforyou——feelingswhichIhaveconcealedasmuchasIcouldthroughfearofdrawingyouintoanengagementwhich，ifyouenterintoit，mustbeprolongedforaconsiderabletime，but，howeverthismaybe，itisoutofmypowertoconcealthemlonger；Iloveyou，ardently，devotedly，andsendthesefewlinesaskingyoutobemywife，becauseIdarenottrustmytonguetogiveadequateexpressiontothemagnitudeofmyaffectionforyou。
“Icannotpretendtoofferyouaheartwhichhasneverknowneitherloveordisappointment。Ihavelovedalready，andmyheartwasyearsinrecoveringfromthegriefIfeltatseeingherbecomeanother’s。That，however，isover，andhavingseenyourselfI
rejoiceoveradisappointmentwhichIthoughtatonetimewouldhavebeenfataltome。IthasleftmealessardentloverthanIshouldperhapsotherwisehavebeen，butithasincreasedtenfoldmypowerofappreciatingyourmanycharmsandmydesirethatyoushouldbecomemywife。Pleaseletmehaveafewlinesofanswerbythebearertoletmeknowwhetherornotmysuitisaccepted。IfyouacceptmeIwillatoncecomeandtalkthematteroverwithMrandMrsAllaby，whomIshallhopeonedaytobeallowedtocallfatherandmother。
“Ioughttowarnyouthatintheeventofyourconsentingtobemywifeitmaybeyearsbeforeourunioncanbeconsummated，forI
cannotmarrytillacollegelivingisofferedme。If，therefore，youseefittorejectme，Ishallbegrievedratherthansurprised——